Top Chef 3 - Finale Pt. 1 - 9/26

jsmeeker · 09-30-2007, 04:21 PM

Can't believe I finally caught up with this show via iTunes and that no one posted a thread for last week's show (the first one in Aspen)

Not sure if I feel that the challenges were good for this stage of the game. IMHO, the best were in the previous episode in Manhattan. No gimmicks there. I was hoping for more of the same here. Cooking the fish outside on uneven ground on a stump brought back the gimmicks.

And yet another top notch judge with impeccable credentials. Some may feel Eric Ripert was wasted here. Maybe. I dunno. But I did like it how he disagreed with I think it was Gail and complimented Casey's sauce. Gail sure did backpedal from here comments.

Looks like a good final. I'm pleased Casey is doing so well here at the end. I thought for sure that Tre would be representing Big D proudly at the end, but Casey is going to do it instead. Kudos to her. Apart from the weird onion incident which may simply be attributed to her being caught with her pants down so to speak by not having her knife sharp, she has shown she is very, vary capable.

It's gotta be either her's or Hung's to win. I know many don't like Hung. He's pretty damn cocky, especially when people don't like some of his things. In the past, he's thought judges didn't get it or whatever. He has broken and spilled things. But I have seen him help out in the past, even if he may have not always done so. To be fair, it's a competition and most of the time, they are individual competitions. He's in it to win, and has stated such since the start. He's certainly honest about it. The kid's technical skills are without questions. The other contestants recognize and acknowledge this. So do the judges. The Manhattan Project episode made this point abundantly clear.

Have people been reading the blogs on Bravo's website? I of course love Bourdain's. He should be a regular guest next season. Get rid of Ted Allan and Gail Simmons. Have Tony there every week. The show will be full of comments like "This looks like something you would find in Bob Marley's closet". Priceless. Colicchio's blog provides some good insight as well. Helps clarify some things that never made it to air.

marksman · 09-30-2007, 06:30 PM

I also think that it has been between Casey and Hung for a while now. One of them are sure to win.

As for Bourdain, I have become a big fan just from his few appearances on the seasons of Top Chef, would love to see more of him on there.

Ruth · 09-30-2007, 06:33 PM

Go Casey go!

I think she's going to win, and that's why they spared her this week. Based on her dish alone this time I was worried she'd get sent home.

jsmeeker · 09-30-2007, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ruth

Go Casey go!

I think she's going to win, and that's why they spared her this week. Based on her dish alone this time I was worried she'd get sent home.

She undercooked it instead of over cooking it. If she had gone the other way, it would have been worse. I think the dish was saved by the sauce. Plus, it was more focused than Brian's.

mwhip · 09-30-2007, 07:14 PM

I would be all for Bourdain being full time judge and then make Colichio go back to what he did in first season being a mentor to the chefs sorta like Tim Gunn on Project Runway. He is much better in that role and when he comes in and talks to the chefs you can always tell what he really wants to say is on the tip of his tongue.

mrpantstm · 09-30-2007, 10:54 PM

To me it's between Casey and Hung although Dale pulled it out big time in this last episode so if they had to have sent two home Casey or Hung may not made it. Casey's bison was pretty raw, even for cowboys.

Hung's trying every angle he can and those saying he should help out the others if he finishes earlier are crazy. It's a competition. You don't switch teams in baseball if your team is ahead.

marksman · 10-01-2007, 11:14 AM

I will give Dale some credit. For the first half of this season, I thought he was not good at all. He has something, but he is not up to the other two in the finale. I think the fact that he did not cook for 18 months before getting on the show is interesting and probably explains a lot of his progression.

logic88 · 10-01-2007, 02:29 PM

So the judges thought that Hung's dishes are technically the best but what do they mean by lacking "soul"? If it didn't taste good or the ingredients didn't complement each other, shouldn't they just say that instead?

Thought that it was pretty funny that Hung was so cocky in the Quickfire but still forgot something that probably cost him the win.

jsmeeker · 10-01-2007, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by logic88

So the judges thought that Hung's dishes are technically the best but what do they mean by lacking "soul"? If it didn't taste good or the ingredients didn't complement each other, shouldn't they just say that instead?

Thought that it was pretty funny that Hung was so cocky in the Quickfire but still forgot something that probably cost him the win.

Bordain's blog at the Bravo website tries to explain it.

GoHalos · 10-01-2007, 03:29 PM

I had really thought that Tre would be there to the end also -- he was pretty solid and then had 2 bad nights in a row.

I thought it was interesting that Casey didn't even use her "advantage" from winning the Quickfire. Maybe the ingredients that she brought from home weren't compatible with bison. You'd think she would have used *something* from her stash just because she could.

bicker · 10-01-2007, 03:31 PM

It was elk, not bison. She brought "pan-Asian" spices; probably in appropriate given the theme of the challenge.

GoHalos · 10-01-2007, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bicker

It was elk, not bison. She brought "pan-Asian" spices; probably in appropriate given the theme of the challenge.

Yes, of course you're right -- elk. I still thought that she might have used at least one thing that she brought just because she could -- they might not have been ALL pan-asian. When she was asked, she just said something like that she was saving those ingredients for the final 2 (now it will be the final 3).

I'm sure that the editing made it look worse than it was, but Brian sure had a lot of ingredients in his dish. Chef Ripert sure didn't like his choice to have the diners choose their cheese.

mrpantstm · 10-01-2007, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsmeeker

Bordain's blog at the Bravo website tries to explain it.

Yup and it's a good explanation.

logic88 · 10-01-2007, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsmeeker

Bordain's blog at the Bravo website tries to explain it.

Thanks for the heads up. I wish they had simply said that during the show.

Bourdain cracks me up though.

Quote:

Got it now, conspiracy theorists? "Heart" does not mean "nice rack". "Soul" does not mean "looks like Jennifer Aniston". The woman is GOOD. How many times does she have to prove it? Give her the respect she deserves.

jsmeeker · 10-01-2007, 06:45 PM

takes too much time to explain it for a TV show. Chef's have their own lingo that they use with other chefs. Besides, I think my talking about "soul" is something they can talk up about Casey. She doesn't have the skills Hung has. But she really can cook some tasty stuff. So, you gotta tell the audience that since they can't actually taste it. But they can see her struggle with an onion while Hung tears through some chickens.

logic88 · 10-01-2007, 11:49 PM

Finally got around to finishing Bourdain's blog entry. I don't get why Hung is "expected" to produce a great dish with Vietnamese influences while the other chefs get a pass on their heritage.

mwhip · 10-02-2007, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by logic88

Finally got around to finishing Bourdain's blog entry. I don't get why Hung is "expected" to produce a great dish with Vietnamese influences while the other chefs get a pass on their heritage.

Vietnamese is considered almost perfect cuisine by the culinary world. It is a cross between French and Asian cooking and is just fantastic if done correctly and Bourdain has admitted on many occasions he loves Vietnam and goes there once a year.

logic88 · 10-02-2007, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwhip

Vietnamese is considered almost perfect cuisine by the culinary world. It is a cross between French and Asian cooking and is just fantastic if done correctly and Bourdain has admitted on many occasions he loves Vietnam and goes there once a year.

I get that from the blog but the part I don't understand is why Hung gets saddled with the expectation that he alone must "represent" his heritage while everyone else gets a pass.

If Hung needs to produce a great Vietnamese dish, what dishes are assigned to Casey & Dale?

Ruth · 10-02-2007, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by logic88

I get that from the blog but the part I don't understand is why Hung gets saddled with the expectation that he alone must "represent" his heritage while everyone else gets a pass.

If Hung needs to produce a great Vietnamese dish, what dishes are assigned to Casey & Dale?

I don't know if this answer will satisfy you, but here's what Bourdain has to say about that:

Quote:

Let me respond quickly to a valid question that's already come up twice: Why do the judges (and why do I) keep suggesting that Hung might benefit from incorperating Vietnamese flavors or ingredients or culinary traditions into his offerings? Simple answer. Because we (rightly or wrongly) see a Vietnamese heritage (particularly one with deep associations with the restaurant business) as an enormous advantage for a cook. Because most chefs I know are crazy about Vietnamese food and if lucky enough to have visited Vietnam, totally ga-ga over the place; the easy accessibility of excellent, fresh, startlingly sophisticated food--even in humble homes, food stalls and markets. Hung comes from one of the "foodiest" of foodie cultures. Whether second generation, living in Texas or LA or Minneapolis, he has grown up with--and around--that food culture. He has said as much. There is a tendency among chefs and judges to expect and even hope that he'll show us some of that. Not that he has to. He could just as easily win this whole thing with his French chops.

Bananfish · 10-02-2007, 05:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by logic88

I get that from the blog but the part I don't understand is why Hung gets saddled with the expectation that he alone must "represent" his heritage while everyone else gets a pass.

If Hung needs to produce a great Vietnamese dish, what dishes are assigned to Casey & Dale?

If you're crying racism, then just stop it already - there's enough genuine racism in the world without looking for it in places where there is none.

The reason they're harping on it is the same reason judges would be telling someone with an operatic voice in a singing contest to stop impersonating Ashlee Simpson - i.e., if you've got a great tool at your disposal, you ought to use it.

Agatha Mystery · 10-02-2007, 07:36 AM

Except Casey said that her grandmother is French, and she cooked something French or French Inspired for the chefs and the culinary school.

SoldOnTiVo · 10-02-2007, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bananfish

The reason they're harping on it is the same reason judges would be telling someone with an operatic voice in a singing contest to stop impersonating Ashlee Simpson - i.e., if you've got a great tool at your disposal, you ought to use it.

From Hung's own admission, that's where he comes from, that's where his "soul" is and we just haven't seen it. (and I totally agree with Tony about Vietnamese food. It's just absolutely fabulous!)

The best way I can express what I feel about Hung's food so far is: "too perfect". Everything is technically superior but it's "cold"; maybe like having a symphony where the 1st violin part is played by a computer; there's "something" missing. That's the difference with Casey. She's definitely not as technically proficient as Hung, but she uses what she has and puts her heart into the food she prepares. It shows.

Hung does come out as a bit of an a$$ with finishing early and not helping anyone, but I agree that it's a competition. He's not there to help his competitors and I won't blame him for it. But at the same time, he shouldn't whine about "not getting help to plate" like he did a couple of episodes back. No one is there to help you either, dude.

I like the way that final is shaping up. Dale deserves to be there. I really like his speach at the end of that Aspen show. "I'm a chef again". Considering he hadn't cooked in 18 months, it's pretty amazing how far he's been able to go. 'shows there's definitely skills and abilities there.

Dale could be a surprise, but vote goes to Casey.

jsmeeker · 10-02-2007, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by logic88

I get that from the blog but the part I don't understand is why Hung gets saddled with the expectation that he alone must "represent" his heritage while everyone else gets a pass.

If Hung needs to produce a great Vietnamese dish, what dishes are assigned to Casey & Dale?

I think the deal is that they feel that he likes to execute classic (i.e. French) dishes with modern methods and twists. What's wrong with that? Nothing in my book. If you look at where he works now, that's the sort of things he does day to day. Maybe it's his favorite? His eyes lit up when they were at the French Culinary Institute and they revealed the chicken, potato, and onion. Others may have been dissapointed, expecting luxury ingredients. But not Hung. Is that so wrong? To LIKE those classics? Again, I say no. It may cause the judges to be confused that a kid from Vietnam prefers classic French, but oh well.

WhiskeyTango · 10-02-2007, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrpantstm

Hung's trying every angle he can and those saying he should help out the others if he finishes earlier are crazy. It's a competition. You don't switch teams in baseball if your team is ahead.

Except there was one episode when Hung had an extra 30 minutes in prep time that he complained to the judges that no one would help him when they questioned part of his dish. You can't have it both ways. I agree with you though, it's a competition and help shouldn't be expected from your competitors.

jsmeeker · 10-02-2007, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhiskeyTango

Except there was one episode when Hung had an extra 30 minutes in prep time that he complained to the judges that no one would help him when they questioned part of his dish. You can't have it both ways. I agree with you though, it's a competition and help shouldn't be expected from your competitors.

but it's pretty minor. And in that case, I don't know if he was blaming other contestants or was just saying "plating it all by myself made it more challenging and it would have been better to have assistance" . I guess it was a timing thing where having a plate sit with food on it would degrade a component. (the potato). having extra time didn't help here. I don't think he ran out.

He never seemed to have any real conflicts with any other contestants like others had (like Howie) Maybe the worst thing people did like about him was how he was a bull in a china shop, knocking stuff over and spilling stuff as he ran around the kitchen like a mad man.

Bananfish · 10-02-2007, 01:17 PM

There are some challenges where helping others is appropriate and others where it is not.

When they are serving a collective meal as a team to someone other than judges, such as a 7 course tasting menu, then it's incumbent on each chef to make the collective meal as good as possible, so assisting others is not just OK, but required.

On the other hand, for a challenge where only judges will be tasting the food, it's perfectly appropriate to refuse to help the other contestants.

logic88 · 10-02-2007, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsmeeker

but it's pretty minor. And in that case, I don't know if he was blaming other contestants or was just saying "plating it all by myself made it more challenging and it would have been better to have assistance" . I guess it was a timing thing where having a plate sit with food on it would degrade a component. (the potato). having extra time didn't help here. I don't think he ran out.

Yeah, I don't think Hung was blaming the other contestants but was just offering an excuse as to why the Pommes Dauphin wasn't as puffy as it should have been. And later in that episode, we see that Hung helps Sara out with her plating so it's not like he doesn't help at all. I think his position is that he will help when asked but will not offer to help.

GoHalos · 10-02-2007, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by logic88

Yeah, I don't think Hung was blaming the other contestants but was just offering an excuse as to why the Pommes Dauphin wasn't as puffy as it should have been.

I agree. I think Hung was using that as an excuse, but the real reason was his inexperience with that dish, as I believe he said that he hadn't made it before.

logic88 · 10-02-2007, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bananfish

The reason they're harping on it is the same reason judges would be telling someone with an operatic voice in a singing contest to stop impersonating Ashlee Simpson - i.e., if you've got a great tool at your disposal, you ought to use it.

So you're saying that Hung is being held to a double standard then? Since he has such a "great" background, he will have points deducted for not making use of it?

marksman · 10-02-2007, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by logic88

So you're saying that Hung is being held to a double standard then? Since he has such a "great" background, he will have points deducted for not making use of it?

No... what he is saying is what everyone else has been saying including all the judges on the show. They are waiting for Hung to cook something he is passioniate about. Sure people are assuming that is what he was raised on, and since he has said as much, it is not exactly a leap.

So far Hung has crossed all the ts, and dotted all the is but there is no passion or feeling coming out in his cooking. They want him to show them that, whatever it is, because the other contestants have shown them that.

So to recap.... The judges want to see Hung cook something he is passionate about. Hung says he is passionate about Vietnemese food. They want Hung to cook Vietnemese food because they want to see what happens when he does something he really gets into making.

You want to make it into some kind of race issue or double standard. Instead it is simply a matter of Hung has not shown the judges something they feel is VERY important for a Chef to have in their cooking. Dale has shown passion in his food, but is nowhere near as competent as Hung tecnically. Casey is not as proficient as Hung, yet is much more passionate about her food and how it comes across.

They are basically telling Hung straight up, if he does not bring the passion in the finale he can't win. They don't say that to the other two because they don't have that problem.